Fire-escape



No. 751,870. PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904. J. O. OTHER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1903.

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PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

I. G. OTHER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1903.

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Patented February 9, 1904.

PATENT OEEIc JOHN O. OTHER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,870, dated February9, 1904.

Application filed July 20, 1903. Serial No. 166,229. (No model.)

To all whom, it TH/CL'Z/ concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOHN O. OTHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is aspecification containing a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to fire-escapes; and it consists of the novelconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved fire-escape to belocated conveniently near the windows of abuilding and arranged toautomatically lower persons step ping upon the platform and deliver themonto a chute conveying them safely to the street.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved means wherebythe speed of the lire-escape is regulated or equalized by the differentweights of the persons using the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of my complete inventionattached to a building, the front side of the casing being removed forclearly displaying the internal construction. Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same with a part broken away, showing the construction. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of a portion of the carrier made use of incarrying out my invention. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of thelocking and releasing means made use of for governing the chute.

In constructing my invention I provide a frame composed of four verticalmembers 6, suitably supported and held together by braces arranged in amanner well known to the trade. In the upper and lower ends of the frameare located the cross-bars 7, upon which are mounted and supported thejournalbearings 8, in which the shafts 9 are retained. Upon the saidshafts 9 and located near each end thereof are sprocketwheels 10, overwhich the sprocket-chains 11 are guided. Pivotally secured to thesprocket-chains 11 and arranged equal distances apart are carriers 12,composed of a table having a narrow portion of its front hinged, asindicated by the numeral 13, which is for the purpose of allowing thesaid table to give upwardly in the case of accident by the said frontcoming in contact with the feet of the person stepping upon said table.At the sides of said table are arranged trunnions 14:, which fit into aslot 15, formed in the side braces 16, which are pivotally secured tothe sprocketchain 11. (See Fig. 4:.) At the pivotal points of the tableand side braces are located rollers 17, which come in contact during themovement of the chains with the guides 18, located one on each side ofthe frame. Secured to the chains are cross-bars 19, arranged equaldistances apart and acting as a ladder, which bars are to be used incases of emergency whereon a person may descend without the use of thecarrier.

In the center of the upper shaft 9 is located a guide-wheel 20 and abevel-gear 21, the purpose of the guide-wheel 20 being to turn the tableof the carrier and place it in a horizontal position as the chains passover center. The carriers during their upward movement automaticallyfold together, as shown in Fig. 1, and, as before stated, automaticallyassume a position at right angles to the chain during the downwardmovement. The bevelgear 21 meshes with the bevel-pinion 22, operatingthe common-type governor 23, which is provided with a friction-gear 24,arranged to come in contact with the stationary member 25 as the weightsof the governor spread, depending upon the speed of the chain.

A chute 26 is pivotallysecured to the lower shaft 9 and arranged to benormally held when out of use in a vertical position, as shown in Fig.1, its free end being provided with the yoke 27, supported by the cable28. Thesaid cable passes over the. pulley 29 and is provided with thecounterbalance-weight 30. To the cable 28 is connected a short strand31, its free end carrying an eye 32, which is adapted to be passed overthe end of the trigger 33, pivotally attached to the inner side of theeasing. In arranging the trigger to retain the chute in an elevatedposition the eye .32 is passed over one of the bars 19 and the trigger31, located beneath the same. This device is automatically released bythe movement of the chains, allowing the said chute 26 to fall, and asthe free end comes in contact with the ground the hook 34 automaticallylocks with the hook 35, retaining the same in said position.

The operation of my invention is as follows: In the event of a firethose desiring to escape from the building step upon the balcony throughthe passage-ways formed in the side of the casing, and the moment theyalight upon the carriers their weight will automatically place thedevice in operation, instantly releasing the trigger mechanism, causingthe chute 26 to fall downwardly and lock itself, and as the object beinglowered reaches the bottom it is deposited into the chute. and conveyedto the ground. The governor mechanism is arranged to regulate the speedof the revolving chains and carriers, preventing said device fromoperating too speedily.-

This device may also be used in factories for conveying goods from onefloor to another without the use of power and may be so arranged that alight-weight article will place the same in operation.

I claim l. Afire-escape, comprisinga frame, endless chains locatedWithin said frame, a plurality of folding carriers carried by saidchains and having front and rear sections hinged together, and agovernor mechanism whereby the speed of the chains is regulated,substantially as specified.

2. A fire-escape of the class described, comprising a frame,sprocket-wheels located within said frame, endless chains operated bysaid sprocket-wheels, a plurality offolding carriers carried by saidchains and having front and rear sections hinged together, a governorprising a plurality of folding carriers mounted upon endless chains,sprocket-wheels carrying said endless chains, a governor operated by themovement of the endless chains to regulate the movement caused by anobject being placed upon the carrier to be conveyed to the bottom of theescape, a chute located beneath the endless chains, and a triggermechanism operated by the movement of said chains releasing the chute.substantially as specified.

4. A fire-escape, comprisinga frame located on the side of a buildingnear the windows, sprocket-wheels located in said frame, endless chainscarried by said sprocket-wheels, a plurality of folding carriers carriedby the chains and having front and rear sections hinged together, aplurality of cross-bars carried by said chains; the said carriersautomatically assuming a folded position during their ascent; aguide-Wheel located upon an upper shaft, said guide-Wheel unfolding thecarriers as they come in contact; and a governor located in said frameand operated by a gear-wheel mounted upon the upper shaft, said governorequalizing the speed of the carriers during their rotation,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN C. OTHER.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. EIcKs, M. G. IRION.

